Logo of the Pregnancy Counseling Center located in Mission Hills, California

The following testimony was written by Ingrid, a Regnum
Christi member and a client advocate at The Pregnancy Counseling
Center located in Mission Hills, California. She works at
the center once a week while her children are
in school. She said that she was inspired to write
about her experience to help others see how God
works miracles at these centers and to inspire others
to help. She points out these centers only can
operate with the help of volunteers and donations. For
more information on her center, go to http://www.pregnanthelp4u.org/.

This morning
I am able to make it to the Chapel
before going to the center. As I kneel before
our Lord, I thank Him for the graces I have
received, and I pray that on this day, I
would be able to do his work and to let
him speak through me to the women I would
counsel.

Couple Requests “Abortion Pill”

At the center
that morning, a call comes in. It was the
boyfriend of a girl that wants to get an “abortion
pill.” As I prepare to answer, I quickly say a
prayer for God to guide my words because I
know that this young man, like many other callers,
has providentially mistaken our center for an abortion clinic. I
know that I could easily lose him. After explaining to
him what we actually do at our center, I
immediately invite him to come in and discuss his situation
so that he and his girlfriend could make an
informed decision. He agrees, and I pray that he would
not change his mind.

Half an hour
before closing, they knock on our door. She speaks first
and says that she wants to know more about
the different types of abortion. This is the moment when
we hopefully, as Christ-centered counselors, step down and allow
Christ to step in. I pray again to Christ
for the right words.

God Steps into the Session

We sat in our private counseling room, and
His work begins. She is not ready to have a
baby; she is ashamed; she has finished high school
after having dropped out when she was younger; her
mom would not understand… so many reasons why abortion
sounds so much easier. Then, her strengths shine through:
her boyfriend is supportive of any decision she makes;
he wants to marry her and has a job; she
knows that the baby’s life is at stake; she
believes in God and is thankful that He healed her
from her drug addiction a few years back.

After I explain her options, she says she will
not even consider adoption. She is torn between keeping the
baby and aborting it. She wants to know more
about abortion. Step by step, I explained the types
of abortion she would probably have and the consequences
it could bring to her life: the possible psychological
and emotional impact, the complications that may arise from the
various procedures. Then I show her what the
baby looks like at this stage, how his heart beats
within her, how he lives because she nurtures him
inside her womb, how he depends on her to live.
She starts to cry and realizes that God does
not want her to have an abortion. She says
that God healed her once, and she could not hurt
Him by ending this baby’s life. She has made
her decision. She will keep the baby.

I could finally let out a sigh of relief.

Support
for the Future

When I question the boyfriend
about what he thinks about the change in his
girlfriend’s decision, he mumbles the common reply learned from so
much propaganda in our society: “It is her choice.”
I look at him understandingly and say: “Half of
that choice is in her womb for you to claim.
You are after all, the father.” He chuckles and agrees.

From now on our center will support
them with the necessary referrals, in-home limited ultrasounds, diapers,
clothing and other baby items that we can manage to
get for them. We especially offer emotional support because
for many, the process is long and hard.

But,
this work can only be done by allowing our
Lord to use us. We are His hands, His
mouth, His feet. Christ spoke to this young woman’s
heart. He touched the very thing that would make
her choose life. He has saved another baby, and
we are so glad He is in charge.